Automatic bag stringing needle



April 7 1942. l E. E.' WEST AUTOMAI'IC BAG STRINVGING NEEDLES Filed June 4, 1940 s sheets-sheet 1 manzanas-z y mNMMMUMNMMnI-MMMMDN.

- Filed June 4, 1940 3 sheets-sheet 2 E. E. wEs-'r 2,279,099v

J 'l j @3a J0 April 7, 1942.

E. EQ WEST AUTOMATIC BAG STRINGING NEEDLESy Filed June 4, 1940 3 Sheets-'Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 7, 1942 ful-N1 TED emr- Es PATENT AUTOMATIC lBAG STRINGING'NEEDLE Edward', E. 'West, Richmond, "Va" Application June l4, 1940,4-'Serial"No.j338814 9' Claims.

`The present inventionrelates .to means for automatically directing the needles, of a -bag Stringing machine through thehems of a bag.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of means,'associated with the string- .ing needles of the bag Stringing machine of my pending application, Serial vvNo. 250,223 led January 10, 1939, for automatically directing the needles into andthroughthe hems of Aa bag and .passing draw strings therethrough.

A further object is -toprovide means, cooperating .i-withapairof needles tof a bag hem String- `ing machine, for automatically directing the points of the needles into `and passing the needles Vand draw strings Vthroughth'e hems of the bag.

Another object is theprovision of means, co-

operating with apair of Stringing needles of a vbag hem Stringing machine, for automatically changing the longitudinal axisl of the needles `whereby-the needles are-caused to form their lown openings in and to enter into the ends 4of andto pass through the hems of a bag for stringingthe Same. v

These-and other objects and `advantages will beapparent as the following specification is consideredwith the accompanying drawings-where- 1n:

yFigure .1 is aplan View of the bag Stringing needles, operating structure therefor, and the means for deectingthe points of the needles into the ends of abaa hem;

. Figure 2 is anenlarged end view of the stringing needles and the connecting rock-shafts and leversfor deecting the points of needles, .and Showing the needle engaging levers innorrnal inoperative position;

Figure'3 is an end view,.similar to Figure 2,

,withA the needle engaging levers rocked to opera- Vsimilar parts throughout the several views, the

numeral l Vdenotes generally a Stringing needle .needle Saddle .2.

. carriage of .a bag. Stringing. machine, yfor applying draw strings tothe hems of A`tobaccolbags and the like, .described and illustrated Ain my vpen-ding application, rSerial No. 250,223, filed January 101939. A.The Stringingneedle carriage l `comprises-a .relatively flat, .substantiallyrec- :tangular -needle ,Saddle or plate 2, Slidably mounted between aA pair of spacedlongitud-inal vguide tracks f3, -suitably secured by screws or .the ,likeV 4 totheiupper face of a flat Supporting plate,5, in vturn `mounted-on thetop frameof a bag; Stringing machine,.not shown.

The inner -ends of .two longitudinally. extending ,resilient hollow` needle sleeves 6 :are rigidly supported .ini a .block orplate 1secured .to .the

.top -of .the y.needle saddle, .and two resilient pointed nee`dles8.,are arranged within the Sleeves 6 `for `reciprocating movement relative thereto. Reciprocation vof -the needles .8, .through `the sleevesl, as presently described, moves thev needle points '9 away fromithe forward endspffthe needle sleeves 6 to provide gaps .or eyes'for .the

Yinsertion of Strings, not showntherein. '.When

the .needles 8 are moved )to closed .or String gripping position/the ,strings vare clamped or gripped between the A.rear ends of .the needle .points 9 andthe .endsof the -needle sleeves `6. v'The forward .ends of ,the .needle .sleeves and needle eyesl!) slidably extend through suitable guide openings Ill, inlupstandinglblo'ck Il on .plate '5, and are thus guidedduring their forward and return .strokes throughthe hems l-3 of Va bag l2, supportedon a pairof vertically disposed bag holding arms I4, of a rotating turret head, not shown. AThe rear ends of theneedles' are 'fixed within a smallblock I 6, mountedon 'the needle Saddle v2- andconnected byv apair of spr-ing tensioned pins l'l to the saddle block 1, for slight- Sliding movement relative thereto. Theblock-IS is forwardly actuated, againstthe tension of springs I8 mountedon the pins Il, by any suitable means such asasmall cam I9 .carried yby a crank "20, supported ina .journal blo'ckf2l secured tothe rear end of saddle 2. vThe other end Aof crank'ZU carries a cam 22 for engaging with two ,stops 23, secured to one ofthe .guide tracks 3, adjacent opposite ends thereof.

The needlesaddle `2 is reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly, between the guide tracks 3.to move the needles -through the hems I3 ofthe bag i2, duringthestringing operation, byany suitable means, such as a vertically disposed lever .24 .'pivotally connected at its upper end to van arm.25,.in.turn pivoted totherearend .ofzthe TheA lever i 24 -is Vfulcrumed -to and the needles 8 are thus moved forwardly through their sleeves 6 a suflicient distance to provide the string gaps, vbetween the ends of the sleeves 6 and points 9, within which the ends of the Stringing threads are received.

When a bag I2 is supported in vertical stringing position on the vertically 'disposed pair of bag holding arms I4, with the hems I3 in line with the pointed heads 9 of the needles 8, it is necessary to provide means for directing the needle points 9 slightly inwardly towards each other in order to insureof the points Blforming openings vin the ends of theherns to permitof the needles passing into andthrough the hems.

In the 1 preferred form of needle deecting structure illustrated in Figures l to 3, a pair of opposed .substantially L-shaped levers 26, connected together attheir lower ends by a spring 40, are pivotally mounted on4 a block 21, secured to the inner end of plate 5, adjacent needle guide block AI I. The upper ends of the levers 26 carry rollers or the like 28^for engagement with the outer sides of the needles, as the levers are rocked in opposed directions, as hereinafter described. D ownwardly depending adjustable screws 29, mounted in the levers 26, engage with the top face of avplate` 30,'pivota1ly mounted on the inner end of a rock arm 3|. The outer end of rock arm 3| is fixed to the inner end of a longitudinally extending rock shaft 32, journalled in suitable bearing plates or journals 33 secured to the underside of plate 5. rock arm 34, extends vsubstantially vertically through an aperture 35 in plate 5, and is secured to the outer end of shaft 32.; A depending screw r36 on the upper end of the arm 34 is adapted to engage with a tapered c arn piece 31, secured to the top face of the needle saddle 2. As the needle saddle 2 is moved forwardly, to enter the needles through the hems of the bag, the tapered face of the cam piece 31engages with and elevates the screw 36, ofthe rock arm 34. This movement of the rock arm 34 in turn rocks shaft 32 and rock arm 3 I, in a clockwise direction, viewing Figs. 2 and 3 and raises the plate 3D against the lower ends of the screws 29 on the levers 26 thus rocking the latter inwardly against the tension of spring 4U and causing the rollers 28, on the upper ends of the levers 26 lto engage with the sides of and deflect the outer ends of the resilient needles inwardly towards each other, it being understood that the needles are for this purpose formed of resilient material such as steel or the like. When the needles are deflected or bent inwardly, at their outer ends,the points 9 thereof pierce the cloth of and enter the ends of the bag hems I3, as shown in Figure 4. As the inwardly bent or deflected points 9 of the needles enter the ends of the bagr hems,r the. continued forward travel of the needle saddle 2 carries the cam 31 `beyond and 'out of engagement with the depend- `ing screw 36 onv the'upper end of the rock arm 34,

whereby the rock ,arm 34 is` lowered or dropped to its normal position. The lowering of rock arm 34 causes the shaft 32 androck arm 3I to be `rocked in the OppOSite or counter'clockwise direction, viewing Figure's2 and-3, thus'lowerin'g plate The curved lower end of a 39, carried on the end of arm 3I, so that the rollers 28 on upper ends of the L-shaped levers 26 are swung outwardly by the action of spring 40 in opposed directions about their pivots, to their normal vertical positions and out of engagement with the sides of the needles. As the pressure of the rollers 28 is removed from the needles, which have formed openings in and entered the bag hems, the needles automatically spring outwardly to their normal positions, parallel to each other, and continue to pass straight through the hems on a straight line, as shown in Fig-ure 5. Thus, it will be noted that, by virtue of the connecting rock shafts andlevers, the points 9 of the needles are causedto'automatically form their own openwithout snagging or otherwise forming openings in the lends of theV hems for the needles to enter.

In other words, as the points of the needles form their own openings, in the hems, there is no need toge'mploy separate 6r independent hem opening orsn'aggng means Vfor opening the-hems vto permit of the Aneedlgesentering therethrough.

' -A modification of my needle'deflecting 'device is illustrated in Figures 6 -and'h` In thisl embodiment, alaterallyv projecting, beveled or rounded cam piece 4I, -secured to the needle saddle 2, is

`adapted to cooperate with a cam face 43 on the outer end ofialeve'rf42pivotally mounted,v intermediate ends; von oneI of -the saddle guide adjustable screws 41, Vwhich 'engagewith the sides of theu needles 6. Upon forward travel of the 4needle saddle `2, the cam piece -4I contacts the cam face43 and swings theinnerfend of thelever Ilz'outwardlfwhereby the arm44, on the outer "end thereof, is swung inwardly against thelower end of the arm 45. Thispivotal action of the lever 4 2swings'fthe screws 41,*on the-upper ends 'f arms 44 and 45, inwardly and-presses the same against the sides of the needles 8 whereby theresilient ,needles are deflected or bent inwardly.

'In thisv position' of thejneedlesfthe points 9 thereof pierce the `mate'rialof the bag hems I3 'and f-orm openings thereinv ,for the needles to enter. The continued forwardftravel ofv the jneedle saddle-2 carries the l cam piece 4 I beyond andioutfof engagement'- with the-cam face 43, on 'the inner'nd oflever142,so that Vpressure of the screws 41 'against' the sides of the needles 6 is relieved and the needles automaticallyspring outwardly to` their -normal'fpositions, parallel to each other, and continue-,to pass straight through the bag hems.

It is to be understood that the provision of means for'automatically ,causingy Stringing needles to formvtleir `own openings in and-enter through the hems of a bag is anew advancement in the Abag manufacturing art. While I have shown and described a preferred form and a modification of rny invention; it is to be further `understood that numerous changes and improvements may be made-without departingffrom the scope and spirit of the albrided claims. y

Havingthus described? my invention, what I 1 1 .In a'device of the character' described for 'stringing hemmed bags,v aA pair of needles for jstringing, the'l bagj'herrrsfsupporting;means for L'I5L `saidneedle's `an'd-i)per'atingmeansr for `reciprocatgidgf ingfsaidneedles throughthe-bag;hems;A a-'pairfoff engageablel with"V said.levers-fory actuz'aiting'Lsa'id:l members pivotally'mounted adjacent' the=sides of said needles, means on said-memb`ers= adaptedf to momentarily engage' the i sidesofsaidl vneedle'sf and meansengageable Withsaid; members foractuating saidI members, `land4 means on said needle supporting meansv for'momentarily moving-said means against- -thejsidesy of said `needlesforV bending the 1latten inr opposed directions' forl forming openings in theV bag jhemsjand enteringv the4 needles therethrough.

2; Ina device-ofthe character described for stringing hemmed bags, a pair of needles for stringing the bag hems, supporting means for said needles and operating means for reciprocating said support and moving said needles through the bag hems, a pair of members pivotally mounted adjacent the sides of said needles and having means thereon adapted to momentarily engage the sides of said needles, means engageable with said members forV actuating said members, and means on said needle support cooperating With the said needle operating and engaging members for momentarily moving said members and needle engaging means thereon against the sides of said needles to bend the latter in opposed directions and form openings in the bag hems through which the needles enter.

3. In` a device of the character described for stringing hemmed bags, a pair of substantially resilient needles for Stringing the bag hems, supporting means for said needles and operating means for reciprocating said support and moving the needles through the bag hems, a pair of members pivotally mounted adjacent the sides of said resilient needles, means on said members adapted to momentarily engage the sides of said needles, and means on said needle supporting means cooperating With and for actuating said members for moving the means thereon momentarily against the sides of Said `needles to deflect the latter in opposed directions to form openings in the bag hems, and means for movingsaid means out of engagement With and releasing the needles to permit of the same to pass through the hems.

4. In a device of the character described for Stringing hemmed bags, a pair of substantially aligned parallel resilient needles for Stringing the bag hems, supporting means for said needles and operating means for reciprocating said Support and moving the needles through the bag hems, a pair of members pivotally mounted adjacent the sides and outer ends of said needles, means on the upper ends of said members adapted to engage the sides of Said needles, and means on said needle supporting means cooperating with and for actuating said members and moving and pressing said needle engaging means against the sides of said resilient needles to deflect the points of the needles inwardly out of alignment to form openings in the bag hems, and resilient means for moving said means out of engagement with and permitting of the needles springing back into alignment and passing through the hems.

5. In a device of the characterdescribed for Stringing hemmed bags, a pair of needles for Stringing the bag hems, supporting means for said needles and operating means for reciprocating said support and moving said needles through the bag hems, a pair of levers' pivotally mounted adjacent the sides of said needles and having means on the upper ends thereof adapted to engage the sides of said needles, a rock arm levers,- andf means onlA saidwneedle support 'col` operatingr with said'lrock arm@y formovingzsaid arm lagainst said levers ff and` vmoving theirf'levers andf-y needle engagingf means thereon Lin: opposedf directions against." the:` sides' of4 saidy -needles"to1 bend the needles and .ifrmU openings r inl-the;l bag i hemsthrough whichtheneedlesenteri- 6." In a dev-ice'of-th'e fcharacter-l describedifforr stringingahemme'd-bags',- a pair ofl needles-for: Stringing f the bag hems,.` supporting)y t means i rfor.y sai'd'needles tand opera-tingl-y means-*for.reciprol cating said support and moving said needles through the bag hems, a pair of levers pivotally mounted adjacent the sides of said needles and having means on the upper ends thereof adapted e to engage the sides of said needles, resilient means connecting said levers, a rock arm engageable with the lower ends of said levers for actuating' said levers, and means cooperating with said rock arm and engageable with a cam means on said needle supportfor moving said rock arm against said levers and moving the levers and needle engaging means thereon in opposed directions against the sides of said needles'and bending the needles to form openings in the bag hems through which the needles e arm pivotally mounted on said plate and having means on the end thereof for engaging the lower ends of said levers for actuating said levers, a cam means on Said needle Supporting means, and means cooperating with said rock arm and engageable with said cam means during the sliding movement of said needle supporting means for rocking said rock arm against said levers and kmoving said levers against the Sides ofl said needles and bending the needles to form open#v ings in the bag hems through Which the needles enter.

8. In a device of the character described for Stringing hemmed bags, a pair of needles for Stringing the bag hems, a supporting plate, slidable supporting means on said plate for said needles and operating means for reciprocating said supporting means and moving said needles through the bag hems, pivotally mounted means on said plate having an arm on one end thereof, aflever pivotally mounted on said plate adjacent said arm, means on the upper ends of said arm and lever adapted to engage the sides of said needles, and means on the arm carried by said pivoted means for `moving said pivoted lever, cam means on said needle supporting means engageable with said pivotally mounted means for simultaneously actuating said arm and lever and moving the means on the upper ends thereof in opposed directions against the sides of and bending said needles to form openings in the bag hems through which the needles enter.

9. In a device of the character described for Stringing hemmed bags, a pair of needles for able supporting means on said plate` for-said needles and operating ,meansy for reciprocating said supporting means and moving said needles through the bag hems, a longitudinal arm pivot` ally mounted on said plate having a downwardly depending arm on one vend, thereof adjacent the side of` sa-idpneedles, ka verticali-:lever pivotally mounted on said plateopposite sai'd= downwardly depending arm and adjacent the side of said needles, adjustable means on the upper ends of said downwardly depending arm and lever stringingrthe bag hem'aa supporting plate, .slidl lever and moving the means on the upper ends thereof inlopposed directions against the sides of and bending said needles to form openings in the bag hems through whichthe needles enter.

- EDWARD E. WEST. 

